Contents

Variables of contention

Timing

Some schools (such as those led by Maddison) take the view that living standards had diverged in the medieval period, by the 17th century or earlier, with per capita GDP in Western Europe about double that in India, China, and Japan. The per capita GDP diverged further in the 19th century with the Industrial Revolution.

The California School endorses the Pomeranz hypothesis, which says that there was no divergence till the late 18th century, so that the Great Divergence occurred along with, or just shortly before, the Industrial Revolution.